Temperance Brennan
Temperance "Bones" Brennan, born Joy Keenan is a forensic anthropologist and works at the Jeffersonian Institution in Washington, D.C. She works with Special Agent Seeley Booth to work on cases which require their expertise. He nicknames her "Bones", referring to her job as a forensic anthropologist. They seem to have a fairly comfortable working relationship, despite the differences in their personalities and the sexual tension evident between them. Temperance's character is very loosely based on author Kathy Reichs. She is portrayed by Emily Deschanel. Although the character is named after the heroine in Reichs' crime novel series, her characterization was based on Reichs herself rather than the books' protagonist.Goldman, Eric, "Digging Up Secrets With the Cast of Bones", IGN, May 31, 2007. Retrieved on June 4, 2007. Along with her work at the Jeffersonian, Brennan is a best-selling novelist and writes about a fictional anthropologist, Kathy Reichs. In the series' pilot, Brennan says that the closest other forensic anthropologist is in Montreal. Temperance Brennan mostly confides in her best friend and fellow co-worker, forensic artist Angela Montenegro. Aside from Angela, Dr. Brennan has a band of 'squints' (a term given by Agent Booth to describe what scientists do - "they squint at things"), specifically entomology expert Dr. Jack Hodgins, and formerly Dr. Zack Addy, a bone trauma expert whom was also once Dr. Brennan's graduate student. Brennan graduated from Northwestern University and is a licensed hunter (she has licenses that allow her to hunt in four unspecified states). She claims that she only hunts for food. Personality Brennan is an atheist, critical towards religion and believes in the death penalty. This has led to more than one argument with Booth, who is a devout Roman Catholic and quite defensive of his faith. Brennan's character development is shown in the second season where she refers to the rest of the team as "our squints" even though the term "squints" is predominately used by Booth when he describes the team, Brennan included. Bones lacks social skills and has trouble understanding jokes and sarcasm. Her portrayer in the television series, Emily Deschanel, commented that Bones' Brennan "is a lot younger and different" from the Brennan in Kathy Reichs' books. Deschanel remarked, "Not that there aren't certain similarities, but it's a kind of a mesh."Bridget Byrne, "What's on tonight: Wednesday", The Albuquerque Tribune. March 28, 2007. Retrieved on April 7, 2007. According to Deschanel, she and the show's creator Hart Hanson discussed that her character "almost has Asperger's Syndrome".Gray, Ellen, "Boreanaz says 'Bones' is not procedural", Philadelphia Daily News, January 31, 2007. Despite Bone's extensive knowledge of anthropology, she is quite unaware of pop culture and her coworkers, particularly Booth, like to tease her about it. A running gag on the series is someone making an obvious popular culture reference and she blankly states "I don't know what that means", and she is somewhat excited on the rare occasion that she does understand them. Season One The first season establishes Brennan's character and background. She chose her field of research in order to find out what happened to her parents, who vanished without a trace when she was fifteen - leading to an unpleasant time in the foster care system before being rescued by her grandfather. This is revealed early in the first season, but later contradicted in the last episode of the second season, when in a conversation with her father Brennan says that she always thought she didn't have any grandparents. It has been revealed that she has one living brother, Russ. When she was fifteen and Russ was nineteen, their parents went out and never came back. In the first season finale, it was revealed that Temperance Brennan's birth name was Joy Keenan. Her parents were bank robbers who were forced to change their names and go into hiding when they testified against other robbers in their group. Brennan discovers her mother's remains, which had been held at the Jeffersonian ever since she arrived, and finally solves her murder. She also reunites and reconciles with her older brother Russ (formerly Kyle Keenan). Season Two The season-long plot involves Brennan's developing relationship with Booth as well as the return of her father and brother. In "Judas on a Pole" (2x11), Brennan's father, Max, surfaces when she and her team investigate a murder he committed to protect her and Russ. Max disappears as quickly as he surfaced and takes Russ with him. Her father visits her several more times over the course of the season but manages to evade capture each time. In the final episode of the second season, he allows Booth to arrest him because he realizes that each time he runs away, he cuts himself off from his daughter, which makes her feel abandoned once again. He states that he has set Russ up with a straight job, but refuses to tell Temperance where her brother is living because he is violating the terms of his parole. Also in the final episode of Season 2, Brennan agrees to become Maid of Honor at Hodgins and Angela's wedding. After Zach turns down the offer of being best man, Booth steps into the role. The episode ends with Brennan and Booth standing before the priest after Hodgins and Angela ran off together without being married. In Season 3, Angela speculates that this had caused a rift in the friendship of Brennan and Booth because of the symbolism (a man and a woman at the altar); however, Brennan seems to be more upset that Booth did not advise Zach against going to work in Iraq. Season Three In season three Brennan efforts are divided between the two major story arcs: First, Brennan efforts are focused on capturing the Gormogon serial killer. The second story arc involves the redevelopment of her relationship with her father, Max and her brother, Russ. In the episode entitled "The Verdict in the Story" (3x13) Max was acquitted of murdering Deputy Director Kirby through the efforts of Brennan with the implicit collusion of Booth. Despite the outcome this period also brought some tragedies into Brennan's life in episode, (3x14) The Wannabe in the Weeds, Booth is shot by Pam Nunan who is in turn shot and killed by Brennan. Although, Booth survived the shooting this fact was concealed from Brennan by Sweets. Even though Booth was revealed to have survived the shooting in episode 3x15, The Pain in the Heart, Brennan's friend and trusted assistant Zach was revealed to be Gormogon's Apprentice. Notes * Bones speaks at least four other languages including (but not limited to); Spanish (the women in the garden), French (pilot), Latin (the boy in the tree), and Chinese (the boneless bride in the river). She can possibly speak German. See Also * Bones and Booth References Category:Characters Category:Main characters Category:Season 1 characters Category:Season 2 characters Category:Season 3 characters Category:Season 4 characters Category:Jeffersonian Institute